Orange Lemonade
by PinkFever
Summary: Hayato's feelings are complicated, and Ryuuichi is just ignorant to love. (I own nothing)
1. Chapter 1

**This was suppose to be a love story.**

* * *

Usaida had made the suggestion earlier that they spend some time outside. The weather was nice, and Ryuuichi did have some spare time, so he really couldn't see a reason to oppose to the idea. It was nice to get some sun every once in a while after all, and Kotarou did need to move around a little more, not relying on Ryuuichi to carry him everywhere.

It was almost summer break, only a few weeks away from what the middle schooler's been told, and he wanted to plan something special for his baby brother. Nothing to extravagant, something simple that the two of them could do without it being to over whelming. It was going to be their first summer without their parents around after all.

 _Dad wanted to take us somewhere this year,_ Ryuuichi thought. He was never told where they were going, just that it was a 'surprise' and to 'wait and see'. He never did find out where he was going to take them, but after some thinking it was possible that he had planned for them to go to some resort his mother had been talking about before; "A women's paradise" she had described it. Then again, the idea was a shot in the dark, but it did put his mind at ease, after all it was better then just sitting on the thought for the rest of his life.

"Ryu-niichama! You're super slow~" Calls Kirin, hiding herself behind a tree close by. They decided earlier that they were all going to play tag for a bit, and Ryuuichi was 'it'.

"Ryu, slow!" Takuma giggles, his brother meekly nodding in agreement.

"slow..."

Ryuuichi smiles at them. "Hey, I'm old. Go easy on me."

"Hmm? Did I hear you complain just now?" Usaida perks up from a bench near by, Midori reaching for a lock of his hair. "How rare. Not gonna lie, it sort of feels like it's a privilege hearing it come from you. I'm honored."

"Sorry, it's just been a long day that's all." The young babysitter did feel a slight pain in his lower neck, and putting aside the migraine he's had for the last few hours, he wasn't exactly feeling at his best at the moment.

He recently got back a test he had taken last week only to find out that he had failed, a solid 45 inking his paper in more red then he's ever seen, and during lunch that afternoon it didn't help that he not only sat in gum, but also had a hot beverage spilled all over his uniform after a female tripped and dumped her tray. She had apologized profusely, and Hayato did lend him some spare clothes in the end, but it still didn't take away the fact that Ryuuichi just felt _miserable_.

Usadia whistled. "That bad huh?" His smile falters a bit. "Wanna talk?"

"Oh, no. I'm fine, really." Ryuuichi says, dismissing the topic with a simple wave. "I should just go to bed early tonight and rest up a bit more."

The older man looks him over for a second before adjusting the child in his arms. "Well, ok. If that's the case why don't you head home early for the day so- ...O-oi! Ow, ow! Midori, let go!" He tries to pull her arm away again, but her hand has a tight grip around a small lock of his hair. He struggles for a moment trying to free himself. "Midori, come on, stop-"

"Uwaaugh!"

"Ow-ow-ow!"

Ryuuichi can't help but chuckle a little at the scene, and Usaida has to catch himself from cursing in front of the child. This distracts the both of them for a moment before Taka calls out to him again angrily, demanding to be chased around. Kotarou doesn't say anything, only continuing to stare at his brother expectantly, and Ryuuichi couldn't help but comply. At least one of them seemed to be having a good time.

"Ryuu!" Taka cries out again, annoyed.

The teen puts down his bag and moves forward. "Alright, I'm ready!"

They play until their mothers come to pick them up. Ryuuichi goes home that night and crashes on the couch.

*(*)*(*)*

The next morning is a drag.

His body feels heavy, and the rain outside doesn't help him with anything.

"More rice?" Saikawa offers, but Ryuuichi kindly declines and asks to take the breakfast up to his room.

Kotarou does the same, not wanting to leave his older brother's side, but for the first time in a while, Ryuuichi wants to be left a lone for the time being. Of course, he doesn't have the heart tell him that, not after the smaller asked if he could sit on his lap. They eat together in silence, getting dressed soon after and heading for school while saying their goodbyes.

The umbrella is his mothers. She bought it years ago during a storm both she and Ryuuichi got caught in while coming home from the grocery store. He was 7 at the time.

 _"What color do you think I should get, Ryuu-kun?"_ She had asked him. Her voice was soothing, calm enough to ease any worries he had felt back then. Ryuuichi tightens his hold on the handle at the memory.

 _"I want...the red one! No, yellow!"_ He told her. She picked them both up and held them out in front of him.

 _"I can only buy one for the both of us, ok? So, which do you think is better?"_

 _"But I like them both..."_

 _"I see,"_ She hums a soft tune while thinking it over, a habit she had passed on to her son. _"Tell you what. Why don't we get the orange one then? It's both red and yellow combined, right? And Orange just so happens to be mama's favorite color. So, how does that sound?"_

 _"I like orange too!"_ He claimed, and that's what they got.

For years she kept that umbrella. It was pretty useful despite how old it was, but it was one of the few things she left behind that Ryuuichi felt he could use freely. A momentous.

A smile slips past him as he looks down at Kotarou, securely placed in his free arm as the safely make it through the rain.

They arrive a little earlier then the other kids. Usaida greets them as he rearranges a few books on the shelf. "You look awful." He states bluntly. It catches Ryuuichi a little off guard.

"Eh?"

"You're hair's a wreck." He points out. "Forget to dry it this morning?"

"Ah, I did!" Ryuuichi quickly puts Kotarou down and goes to fix it. "Guess I was a bit careless."

"I can see that." Usaida's grin widens. "Nice bears."

 _Bears?_ Ryuuichi looks down back at Kotarou and sees that he was still in his pajama bottoms, little blue shorts with small bear prints placed about. "K-Kotarou!?"

"Nii-chan, bed shirt."

"Wha- Bed shirt?" The child points over to his shirt, and sticking out is a piece of his own pajama top, layered underneath his school uniform.

Usaida has to convince the other children that they didn't miss out on pajama day.

*(*)*(*)*

It's lunch time when Ryuuichi finally feels it.

Hunger hits him hard, so he shyly asks Hayato if he could have some of his bread.

"You didn't eat breakfast." He deadpans. Ryuuichi feels guilty.

"I didn't have time to finish eating this morning." He nervously chuckles. It was a lie, but he was willing to play along with it as long as he got some of that bread. Truthfully he didn't exactly feel like eating that morning, so unfortunately most of his food went to waste (he was going to have to hear it from the chairwomen later), but now that he was more awake the feeling just seem to come onto him all at once.

Hayato holds out the pastry in front of him. "Fine."

"Thank's, Kamitani." He downs it in a matter of seconds, and thankfully is given another one out of pity from the other.

Class starts up again by the time he's finished eating everything he needed. Hayato had reluctantly given him his entire lunch in the end, all except for his juice box and a few spare clementines. He doesn't say anything when Ryuuichi thanks him, only grunting before taking his seat when the teacher shows up.

About twenty minutes into the lecture Ryuuichi finds it difficult to concentrate on his work. His stomach starts cramping, so he politely asks to be excused and makes his way down to the restroom. He doesn't feel sick, but it does bother him that he's eaten so much, let alone robbed his friend of his own lunch. He splashed water on his face a couple of times before drying himself off and heading back to class, unaware of the concerned glances coming from Yuki for the rest of the period.

At the end of the day he hands the lent clothing back to Hayato as the two make their way down to the daycare room.

"I have practice for a few hours, so i'll be late." Hayato says.

Ryuuichi played off a smile. "I'll tell Taka." It wasn't that he didn't mind him going off to play baseball, but it was the fact that he was pretty much left alone with the children that slightly irritated him (with Usaida always being asleep). He loved the children just as much as Kotarou, thinking of them as a part of his own family, but there were days he would like to have a little help. This day just happened to be one of them.

*(*)*(*)*

"Taka! That's Ryu-niichama's umbrella!" Kirin warns.

Taka huffs and starts carelessly swinging around the parasol. "No, this is a knights sword! One I stole from the evil witch!" He points it towards Usaida and grins. "That's right! And now I'm going to defeat him with it along with my awesome strength!"

"Actually, I would be a warlock, not a witch." He corrects, but none of them are listening.

"Rangers, attack!"

The lot comes after the man with a shout, and Usaida jokingly decides to go along with their little game. Taka starts beating him with the umbrella playfully, laughing as he did so.

"Taka, is that yours?"

"It's Ryu's!" Answers Takuma, giggling much unlike his brother.

"Oh? Did you ask to borrow it?"

Taka continues hitting him with the umbrella. "He told me I could borrow it!"

"Alright. But ya know, this actually hurts a little."

"Good!" He starts hitting him harder. "Die evil witch! Die!"

"Actually it's warlo-" Usaida's hit on the head. "Oi, oi, take it easy." He makes a move to grab the object, but Taka quickly pulls away.

"You can't defeat me that easily!"

"Taka, why don't you give that to me and use something, I don't know, less painful."

"No! Then I can't win!"

"You get a prize for this?"

Taka hits him a few more times. "I win vintory!"

"It's pronounced 'victory'. Also, that doesn't make any sense..." Usaida manages to get a hold of the base. "Ah, gotcha."

"No! This is mine!" Taka pulls away with a harsh yank.

"Come on, just give it here. I'll get you something else to play with."

"The witch is winning! Guys help!"

The kids playfully scream louder.

"Come on, you don't need to-"

 _ **Snap!**_

"...Hm?"

Taka suddenly stops and looks down at the umbrella, curiously flopping it around before-

"Waah!"

It opens up, but something faint 'clicks' and the entire parasol is suddenly bent upward in an unnatural way, one of the metal-quality frames giving out.

That's what Ryuuichi walks in on.

He can only helplessly stare at the broken umbrella as Usaida apologizes to him, taking the fall on himself for not keeping a better eye on the children.

"I'll lend you mine for today if you want. I can buy another one tomorrow." He offers, watching Taka drop the broken tool in front of him. He looks slightly guilty, but doesn't say anything about it, looking away and pretending as if nothing happened.

Kotarou waddles up to his brother, lifting his arms to be picked up. "Nii-chan."

"..." Ryuuichi continues to stand quietly, staring down his mothers umbrella.

 _Orange just so happens to be mama's favorite color._

His breath hitches, and he quickly puts a hand to his mouth when a sudden wave of nausea hits him.

Kotarou's curiosity quickly turns to concern. "Nii-chan?"

Usaida lifts a brow. "Hey, you alright?"

 _It's just a color._ Ryuuichi tells himself. _Just a color. Just an umbrella..._

He takes a moment to try and collect his thoughts, and it works. Thankfully he's able to smile it off and greet them all as he usually does, throwing out the broken tool before being put to work.

The rest of the day goes by quickly, and as promised he ends up borrowing Usaida's umbrella for the trip home, a red one.

It was 3 in the morning when Ryuuichi finally threw up.

* * *

 **Ryuuichi needs food.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the support on the first chapter guys! Comments really help me out, ya know? :)**

* * *

Hayato hated practice.

His team sucked.

"Kamitani! Get your ass in gear!" Calls out his coach, using his whistle to signal the pitcher as he whipped the ball in the teens direction. One swing and it went flying over the fence.

"Woah! I didn't know you could play on your left side!" Came one of his team members, followed by some more praise from his other piers. They were impressed. Everything he did just seemed to get them riled up for whatever reason.

It was annoying.

Frankly, Hayato could swing using both sides, but he didn't exactly find it all that impressive, and about twenty minutes into practice he gets bored and excuses himself off the field to use the restroom. He spends most of his time playing around on his phone for a while before another member has to come and get him, courtesy of the coach.

He really hated practice. Especially in 70 degree, humid, rainy weather.

"I need to pick up Taka." He tells his coach. "He doesn't feel well and I need to take him home." His shoes and pants are covered in mud, some of it leaking into his socks. The consequences of lying to a teacher was the last thing on his mind.

After a moment's hesitation the coach sighs and waves him off the field. Not everyone was at practice due to the heat and light rain, even after it was announced that they would only be on the field for only an hour, so dismissing him wasn't much of a loss.

Hayato immediately changes into his school clothes as soon as he gets inside, making his way over to the babysitters club. Lately he's been finding it a little more tolerable there, but he couldn't exactly figure out why. His brother was a pain in the ass, and the rest of the children along with Usaida just seemed like an extra load to carry sometimes, but here he was, making his way down the hall while checking his bag for that damn apron he's required to wear. He didn't go for the snacks or extra credit, but rather for something else, and even after thinking it over for a while, he still hasn't exactly figured out why.

"Ryuuichi." He says, getting the others attention.

"Oh, Kimitari! Welcome back!" Ryuuichi looks up from the book he was reading and waves, Taka doing the same, but only much louder.

"NII-SAN! You stole some of my lunch today again!" He wines.

"I did."

"THAT'S NOT FAIR! I DIDN'T GET TO HAVE ANY BREAD BECAUSE OF YOU, AND-"

Hayato hits him on the head. "Shut up. Your giving me a head ache."

His brother starts to cry, but that was nothing new. It doesn't take long for him to start laughing and carrying on with the other kids again, attention solely on the Ryuuichi as he read aloud.

For the time being he quietly observes Ryuuichi, listening to him tell the story about the tortoise and the hare. It wasn't his favorite book, but it was better then changing diapers or doing homework, so he took his seat and listened.

By the time the other finished reading it was about time for the mom's to start picking up their kids. First went the Mamizuka twins, then Kirin, and finally Midori. Kotarou and Taka played with one another while he and Ryuuchi tided up the club room along with Usaida, who was hands down one of the laziest workers Hayato has ever met - but in one way or another, he did evidently tend to get the job done by the end of the day.

"Ryuuichi why don't you head home a bit early today." Usaida offers. "You look like you could use some extra shut eye."

Ryuuichi perks up. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, and I don't think Hayato would mind very much either. Wouldn't you Hayato?"

Hayato finished picking up the last bit of toys off the floor, lazily tossing them into one of the bins near by. "Do what you want."

It wouldn't have be the first time Ryuuichi had done this. In the past Usaida had shooed him away if he thought he was working to hard, and the chairwomen has called him home on a couple occasions for different matters, but besides that it didn't really happen all to often.

At some point his mother comes by to pick up her sons after getting off work early, telling Hayato that she would wait for him in the car until he was finished cleaning.

"It's fine, I'll walk."

"Hm? You sure?"

"Yeah." Hayato insists. She gives a small shrug.

"Well alright then. Pick up some more milk on your way home while your at it, yeah?"

He nods to her before she takes her leave, bringing with her a fussy Taka who continued to chew him out for stealing a portion of his lunch.

Usaida is the one to break the silence after some time. "Hey, I have question for ya."

Hayato doesn't bother to look at him. "What is it?"

The man thinks it over for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Have you noticed anything weird about Ryuuichi recently?"

The teen puts away the book read earlier. "Not really."

"So it is just me then." Usaida scratches his head. "I don't know, it feels like he's been giving off this sort of... sad vibe lately. If that makes any sense. Taka ruined his umbrella earlier this afternoon and he didn't even bat an eye."

"Is that why you lent him yours?"

"Yeah I felt bad for him not having one. It's raining pretty hard ya know." He sighs and crosses his arms. "Anyway's that's what I see. I don't know if he's just getting sick or something, or I'm just overthinking it."

 _He's not,_ Hayato thinks. He's also started noticing this for a while now, especially during lunch. Ryuuichi hadn't been properly taking care of himself as of lately.

The question sits with him for the rest of the day, and that's all he thinks about until the next morning when he wakes up to Taka eating his breakfast. His mother smacks the younger on the head for it and makes Hayato another one, ignoring his cries, but that isn't enough to help Hayato forget, especially after he gets to school and discovers that Ryuuichi wasn't there.

*(*)*(*)*

"Huh? What do you mean he never showed?" Maria scowls. She decided to pay a quick visit as she just so happened to be passing by the club room.

Usaida gives a heavy sigh. "Sounds just like it is. Ryuuichi didn't show up this morning, and honestly I don't think he'll be in for a while."

"And why not?!" She angrily crosses her arms. "He didn't inform anyone that he was going to be out sick! He also failed to mention to me that he had something so important to take care of that he couldn't get to school on time! Did he even bother to call you!?"

"Nope. Never called." Usaida pulls out his phone. "But he did text me."

"He did?" Her shoulders relax a little at the news. "Give it to me."

Usaida hands the device over before resuming his attention on Midori.

She reads over the message a few times.

 **Ryuuichi, 6:45 - "Good morning, Usaida-san. Sorry this is so sudden, but I'll be running a little late today."**

"Is that all?"

"That's all." He says. "I wouldn't worry to much though. He probably just decided to sleep in for a little while longer since he seemed pretty tired yesterday."

The female angrily clicks her tongue "Then he should have just went to bed earlier! Honestly, what's gotten into him lately?!"

"So you've noticed it to." Usaida frowns.

"Huh? Of course I noticed. I'd be upset to if I failed a test as easy as grammar."

"I don't think Ryuuichi is very good with English."

"Then he should ask for help!" She bickers, angrily shoving the devise back into his hands before storming out of the room.

She doesn't show up again for the rest of the day, even after Ryuichi shows up 20 min late, quickly dropping off Kotaro along with his bag and rushing over to class. He had to spend some time after class for his tardiness, but that didn't seem to bother him all that much.

Around lunch time he leaves the room to go check on his younger brother.

"I'll come with you." Hayato offers.

Ryuuichi is slightly caught off guard by the offer. "Eh? You really don't have to." But the other insists anyways, and they both end up eating in the club room along with the rest of the children. It was the first time the baseball player had seen his friend turn down the idea of letting Kotarou feed him. Ryuuchi doesn't eat much, only an onigiri packed away somewhere in his bag.

Usaida lifts a brow. "Not hungry today?"

"Not really." He says. "Had a big breakfast that's all."

They continued to eat and chat with the kids until the bell rang, trying to convince Taka that no, leprechaun's will not come after you if you eat chocolate coins on St. Patrick's day, and Takuma, please stop throwing your fruit across the table.

Ryuuichi says his goodbyes and makes his way back to class, praising Hayato for spending time with Taka without being asked to, but that wasn't it.

He wasn't there for his bratty-younger brother, he was there to be with Ryuuichi, because it felt nice.

Hayato didn't have to many friends, close friends at that, and someone like Ryuuichi seemed to fit the role nicely. He was comfortable to be around - no one to noisy, no one that often complained, and no one who talked shit. Instead, Ryuuchi was someone the total opposite of most middle schoolers, and Hayato liked that. _Almost like a woman,_ he once thought. Not a young girl, but a women, and the roll fit him perfectly. His skin was pretty soft, and he wasn't very muscular; then again they were still middle schoolers, but something told the older that there wasn't much that was going to change in the future.

He liked Ryuuichi. Hayato actually liked Ryuuichi, and all though the feeling was kind of odd, it wasn't so much as foreign. Putting aside his mother, there weren't to many people Hayato cared about, and Ryuuichi was one of the very few he did.

 _...But why?_

There it was again. That nagging feeling he got every time he so much as looked at the other.

It was beginning to feel more and more consistent, the want- or rather need to just be around him. Hayato felt the urge to keep himself close Ryuuichi more often, and he couldn't quite figure out why.

He had walked him home last week, just because and Taka had stayed home with a cold that time, and Kotarou was asleep in Ryuuichi's arms. The stroll was quiet, peaceful. It was comfortable. He had time to observe, notice the way Ryuuichi parted his lips slightly when he was lost in thought, or how tightly he would hold Kotarou to him whenever they crossed the street or passed a moving car. Someone like Ryuuichi was a good brother, someone who cared, much unlike Hayato himself, and that was good.

Ryuuichi was good.

"You're pale."

"Eh?"

"You haven't been getting enough sleep." Hayato puts away the last of his work for the day. Class had ended and he was ready to go straight home. His mother could pick up Taka today. "Why is that?"

Ryuuichi goes to say something, but ends up yawning instead.

"You also smell funny."

"I-I smell funny!?"

"Yeah. It's weird." He goes to stand. "I'll wait for you after class, I'll walk you home then."

The smaller blinks, confused. "You...want to walk me home again?"

"You don't want me to?"

"N-no. I mean - yes! I do! I...thank you?" Ryuuichi glances down at his desk and fumbles to gather the rest of his things, not wanting to keep him waiting for to long.

Hayato tells Taka that his mom would take him home, smacking him over the head when he wouldn't let him go by the leg.

"WAAAAHHH! NIII-CHAAAANN!"

"Shut up and let go."

Kotarou comes along with the two of them of course, and once again their out the door walking alongside one another much like before. To Hayato it was the same, it was relaxing, but something was a bit different. The feeling nagged at him until they hit a crosswalk, and that's when he noticed just how much paler Ryuuichi looked compared to yesterday. It startled him.

 _What the hell?_

"Kamitani?"

"Hm?"

"Your staring." Ryuuichi shifts uncomfortably. "Is there something on me again?"

"No." He leans in a bit closer, close enough that the other has to take a step back.

"Uh, w-what are you doing?"

"Your pale."

"...Thank, you?"

"Not a compliment." He leans in again. Kotarou makes a noise when his brother flinches. "You look terrible."

Ryuuichi's eyes widen. "I-I know that! I didn't have time to really fix my hair this morning, a-and no I didn't really get enough sleep but-"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you get any sleep?" Hayato stares intently. "Did Kotarou keep you up again?"

"No." He looks away awardly. "I... had a bad dream, that's all. I-It's nothing serious really. I'll just go to bed earlier tonight." A meek laugh escapes him. "I'm fine, I promise."

Hayato slowly backs away, and the other looks a little relieved. He continues to stare for another moment while Kotarou did the same, looking at his older brother then back to Hayato a few times, confused.

"Alright." Hayato finally agrees. "Let's go."

They walk the rest of the way in silence, Ryuuichi eventually getting lost in his own thoughts as he ignored the constant movement of his younger brother. Hayato couldn't help but worry, something he rarely did. He wanted to know more, but knew better then to push the subject any further, so as soon as Ryuuichi makes it home safely, as soon as he finishes his dinner and kicks his own brother out of his room for the fifth time for the night, Hayato lies on his bed and starts to think. This wasn't the first time he's felt like this. The feelings stronger somehow. What the hell was wrong with him?

He plays around on his cell phone for a while, games he hasn't touched in years. He loses every match and turn, and it's almost 10 at night when his mother finally knocks on his door telling him to go to bed.

"You alright?" She asks, arms crossed as she leans against the door frame. "You look troubled."

"I'm fine." Hayato answers, and with nothing further to say she takes his word for it.

"Alright. Well then, goodnight." She leaves the room before quietly shutting the door behind her, and it takes a moment before Hayato could hear her footsteps trail away down the hallway to her own room.

His shirt is tossed somewhere into a corner as he slips into his sheets, plugging the charger into his cell before flicking off the lights.

* * *

 **Hayato needs to figure things out before... well, you know :)**


End file.
